Quick facts

• Provider: The Rotary Foundation (Rotary Peace Centers programme)
• Level: Master’s (a separate professional development certificate track also exists for experienced professionals)
• What it covers: Tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and internship and field-study expenses
• Number of awards: Up to 170 funded fellowships a year across master’s and certificate programmes
• USA option: Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA — a master’s in international development policy from Duke, or a master’s from various UNC departments, plus a graduate certificate in international peace and conflict resolution from UNC
• Fellowship components: Academic training, a self-designed two- to three-month applied field experience, networking, a workshop series, and a final seminar presenting the master’s research
• Deadline: 15 May 2027 for the 2028–29 cycle. Rotary’s published annual deadline is 15 May (stated on Rotary’s official member site), and the 2028–29 application opens in February 2027
• Official pages: Rotary Peace Fellowships — master’s degree program and Rotary Peace Centers

About this fellowship

This is a multi-destination programme, not a USA-only award — the USA option is the Duke–UNC center, alongside centers in Japan, England, Australia and Sweden.

Rotary awards up to 170 funded fellowships a year for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of its Rotary Peace Centers, in partnership with premier universities offering master’s degrees and professional development certificates in disciplines related to peace and development. Fellows may not study at a Rotary Peace Center in their home country. The master’s track suits early-career candidates with a record of achievements in peacebuilding and potential for future growth and impact as leaders.

Who can apply — master’s track

• Be proficient in English, with a bachelor’s degree, a strong commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace shown through professional and academic achievements and personal or community service, and potential for leadership
• Have at least three years of full-time relevant experience in peace or development work
• Have a gap of at least three years between completion of your most recent academic degree programme and the intended fellowship start date
• Not be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate programme, and not be enrolling in the upcoming academic year
• Not be an active Rotary member, and not be an employee of a Rotary club or district, Rotary International, or another Rotary entity (Rotaract members who are not also Rotary members are eligible)
• Not be a former Rotary member, or a relative of one as defined by Rotary, within 36 months of resignation; fellows who completed a Rotary certificate, master’s, or Global Grant Scholarship must wait three years before a new fellowship start date

How to apply

1. Confirm your master’s eligibility on Rotary’s official programme page.
2. Research the Rotary Peace Centers, including the USA option at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill, and decide your preferred centers. Remember you may not study at a center in your home country.
3. Prepare your materials (CV/résumé, essays, recommendations, academic records) — check the current application announcement on Rotary’s official pages for the exact list, and prepare everything in English.
4. Contact your local Rotary district for guidance and a possible club/district recommendation; district engagement is part of the process and strengthens your application.
5. Submit your online application to The Rotary Foundation by 15 May 2027. Applications are considered final upon submission.
6. Districts submit endorsements by 1 July; Rotary Peace Centers staff and partner universities select finalists and alternates, and candidates receive results in November.
7. If selected, complete the admission steps for the university where your assigned Peace Center is located.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study in the USA with this fellowship? Yes, if you are placed at the Duke–UNC center — Duke’s master’s in international development policy, or a master’s from various UNC departments plus UNC’s graduate certificate in international peace and conflict resolution. You cannot study at a center in your home country.

What does it cover? Tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and internship and field-study expenses.

Can an active Rotary member apply? No. Rotaract members who are not also Rotary members are eligible.

Can I apply if I am currently enrolled? No. You must not be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate programme, and must not be enrolling in the upcoming academic year.

How does university admission work? Selection tells you your assigned Peace Center, then you complete that university’s admission steps.

Related scholarships

• Back to the USA Study Visa page
• See also USA jobs on AlfaCareers
• Clark University Presidential Scholarship
• Boston University Presidential Scholarship
• P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship
• Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

Last verified: 27 October 2026. Deadlines must be re-checked on the official Rotary pages before applying.